Conveyer



N; H. PREBLE May 15, 1934.

. CONVEYER Original Filed July 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 40fWZ47? AZ 355d? ATTORNEY'S N. H. PREBLE May 15, 1934.

CONVEYER Original Filed Jul 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 49171424! 752 226 ATTORNEYS Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER Application July 14, 1930, Serial No. 467,913 Renewed March 29, 1934 4 Claims. (Cl. 198-189) This invention relates generally to conveyer systems and more particularly to improvements in conveyers of the type having a traveling linear member for advancing the work.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a conveyer system of the type specified above with a track assembly for guiding the linear member provided with transversely spaced laterally extending projections operable to reinlO 1 force the track assembly and thereby permit the same to be fashioned of relatively lighter gauge metal than has heretofore been considered practical and accordingly effect an appreciable reduction in weight of the assembly.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a linear member having a plurality of riders secured thereto at spaced points throughout the length thereof and provided with transversely spaced bearing surfaces slidably enzo'gageable with the reinforcing projections aforesaid of the track assembly for efiiciently guiding movement of the linear member in transverse directions from the track assembly.

Further advantageous features of the present invention are attributed to the simple and expedient manner in which a conveyer dog may be attached to the riders when desired without materially altering the construction of the latter and also to the novel manner in which the riders are detachably secured to the linear member.

Other objects of the invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a conveyer system constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an elevation showing a modified 45. 2type of dog.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that there is illustrated in Figure 1 a portion of a liti' conveyer system comprising aflexible linearmember or chain 10, a track assembly 11 and riders 12 connected to the chain at longitudinally spaced points and adapted to engage the track 11 for guiding the chain throughout its movement. The

55 -chain 10, shown herein for the purpose of illustration, is of the rivetless type comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced integral links 13 having laterally spaced side walls 14 and arouate end walls 14. The links 13 are adapted to be pivotally connected to each other by means of a pair of side bars 15 having the ends thereof overlapping the opposite ends of the links 13. The bars 15 are held in assembled relation to each other and to the links 13 by means of suitable pins 16 having enlarged head portions at the opposite ends thereof engageable with the outer surfaces of the side bars 15 to restrict outward movement of the latter and having shank portions extending through aligned openings formed in the side bars 15 adjacent the opposite ends thereof and through the space defined by the side walls 14 of the links 13 for loosely connecting the latter links to the side bars 15. As shown in Figure 1, the above construction is such as to permit relative longitudinal and angular movements of the links 13 and side bars 15 thereby permitting the chain to be turned through a relatively small radius.

The track assembly 11 for engaging the riders 12 to guide the chain 10 throughout its movement is preferably formed of a pair of substantially channel-shaped bars 17 secured as at .18 to a suitable bracket 19 which in turn may be secured to; any suitable support. As shown in Figure 2, the channel members 17 are positioned upon the bracket with the base portions 20 thereof spaced laterally from each other a sufiicient distance to permit the passage therebetween of the chain 10 and with the leg portions 21 thereof projecting outwardly from the base portions forming transversely spaced bearing surfaces 22 and 23. By forming the track sections substantially channel-shaped incross-Sectioh, the same may be fashioned of relatively lighter gauge metal than has heretofore been considered practical without sacrificing strength owing to the reinforcing qualities of the leg portions 20 aforesaid. Moreover, by providing track sections substantially channel-shaped in cross-section, angular movements of the chain especially in a vertical plane are facilitated since the leg portions of the sections form transversely spaced bearing surfaces for engagement with the riders 12 to be presently described.

Each of the riders 12 are preferably formed of two sections 24 and 25 adapted to be clamped to opposite sides of the integral links 13 by means of the fastener elements 26 having shank portions extending through the links 13 between the side walls 14 thereof. In detail, as shown in Figure 3, the sections 24 and 25 of the rider are provided with inwardly extending projections 27 adapted to engage within the space between the side walls 14 of the links 13 for positioning the sections upon the latter and preventing twisting movement of the riders relative to the chain. The outer ends of the sections24 and 25 of each rider are provided With flanges 28 extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the sections and forming transversely spaced bearing surfaces 29 and 30. The distance between the bearing surfaces 29 and 30 of the sections in assembled position thereof is slightly greater than the distance between the bearing surfaces 2 and 23 of the track sections 17, hereinbefore dis-a cussed, and are arranged to overlap and, slidably engage the latter bearing surfaces. In this connection it is to be noted that the bearing sur-l faces 29 and 30 are preferably curved longitudinally of the riders so as to have a line contact with the track sections and thereby facilitate movement of the rider throughout horizontal and vertical; curves.

With the construction as thus far described, it will be observed that the conveyer chain is not only held inassembled relation with the track sections by means of the riders 12, but the latter also serve to accurately guide the chain throughout its path of travel. In this connection it will be observed that by reason of the overlapping transversely spaced bearing surfaces upon the track and rider, movement of the chain throughout vertical and horizontal curves is facilitated.

In the event it is desired to utilize the conveyer for transferring carriages or trucks from one point to another, a suitable conveyer dog 31 may be secured to the riders 12, as shown in Figure 4, For the purpose of illustration, the dog 31, shown herein, is of the type used on side drag conveyers and is secured by means of the fastener elements 32 to the upper surface of the upper rider section 24. Thus, it will be observed that the riders 12 may also be used as an anchorage means for the conveyer dogs.

In Figure 5 I have shown a sligthly modified form of construction wherein the conveyer dog 33. instead. of projecting laterally from the chain as the dog 31, hereinbefore described, extends above the same for engagement with the fixture to be operated. The dog 33 is pivotally mounted intermediate the ends. thereof as at 34 to a pair of laterally spaced furcations 35 formed integral with and extending upwardly from the upper section35 of the rider 37. In this connection it will be noted from Figure 6 of the drawings that the upper section 36 of the rider is. identical in other respects to the upper section. 24. of the rider 12 and is clamped to the chain in the same manner and by the same securing means as the sections. of the rider 12. It will further be observed that the lower section 38 of the rider 37 is identical in construction to the lower section 25 of the rider 12 with the result that a pivotal dog of the type specified above may be readily attached to the chain by merely substituting the section 36 for the corresponding sections 24 of the riders12.

While in describing the invention particular stress has been placed upon the association of the riders with a particular type of chain, it is to be noted that the same may be utilized in connection with various other types of chains and accordingly reservation is made to make such changes in the construction as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A conveyer system comprising, a track assemblyhaving lateraly spaced substantially channel-shaped track sections arranged with the base portions of the channels opposite each other and the leg portions thereof extending outwardly from the base portions, a traveling linear member arranged between the said base portions of the track sections, and means for guiding the linear member from the track sections including a rider carried by the linear member and having aligned outwardly projecting portions overlapping portions of the legs aforesaid of the channel-shaped track sections.

2;. Aconveyer system comprising, a track assembly having transversely and vertically spaced bearing surfaces, a traveling linear member arranged in operative relation to the track assembly, and means for guiding the linear member from the track assembly including a rider carried by the linear member and having oppositely arranged aligned bearing surfaces overlapping the bearing surfaces aforesaid.

3. A conveyer system comprising, a track assembly having vertically spaced bearing surfaces, a traveling linear member arranged in operative relation to the track assembly, and means for guiding the linear member from the track as.- sembly including, a rider carried by the linear member and having vertically spaced aligned bearing surfaces overlapping the bearing surfaces aforesaid and slidably engaging the latter.

4. 'A conveyer system comprising, a conveyer chain formed of a series of links having laterally spaced side walls, a rider having apair of sections engaging opposite edges of the side walls of one of the links, said sections having portions projecting inwardly between the said side walls to prevent rotational movement of the sections relative to the chain, each of said sections further having portions projecting laterally outwardly from opposite sides thereof forming bearing surfaces for engagement with a suitable support toguide the chain throughout its movement, and means for clamping said sections to the. link aforesaid of the chain.

NORMAN H. PREBLE. 

